Pap Smears

at the Center

A Pap Smear is a microscopic examination of cells scraped from the cervix.  It is the common name for the Papanicolaou test, a simple and inexpensive procedure which can detect cancerous and precancerous cells on the cervix.  The test can also detect cervicitis (cervical inflammation), a common medical condition.

You will be asked to lie on your back with your feet in the stirrups. A pelvic examination will be done, and a speculum (an instrument used to open the walls of the vaginal canal in order to examine the interior) will be inserted into your vagina and opened slightly.

A sample of cells from the outside and the canal of the cervix is taken by gently scraping the outside of the cervix with a wooden or plastic spatula, then inserting a small brush that looks like a pipe cleaner into the canal.

The cells are placed on a glass slide and sprayed with a fixative, or put in a bottle containing a preservative, then sent to the lab for examination.

A normal value is when the test is negative, meaning there are no abnormal cells present.

What abnormal results mean:
Abnormal values are based on the test results. The current system of reporting divides the results into three main areas: benign or noncancerous, precancerous or showing some abnormal cell changes, and malignant or possibly cancerous.

A report in the latter two categories will usually lead to a follow-up examination, including a repeat Pap smear and possibly other tests. If you have never had an abnormal Pap smear before, and the result indicates a mild abnormality, the Pap test is repeated in 6 months.

If the test result suggests a severe abnormality or cancer, you should undergo immediate colposcopic evaluation with biopsies. If you have had an abnormal Pap test in the past, or have had treatment for a precancerous change, you should have an immediate colposcopy.

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